Harden disinterested and at half court when Chris ran the offense

James is one of the greatest players of this generation - but sometimes the dude is puzzling....

His defense this post season was very good - it should always be this level...

His off ball movement sucks.... His standing around disinterested when the ball isnt in his hands is frustrating as hell.... at least be a diversion....

If he's tired - pull him and let him get a breather... if anyone else was doing this folks would lose their minds... just bc you're great in many instances doesnt give one license to be counterproductive in other instances...

The dribble dribble dribble running down the shot clock is counter productive.... we should be pushing the ball constantly waiting for a lapse in the defense that we can maximize - not painting ourselves into a corner where there's 6 seconds left and we need to get off a shot... Comparisons are made between CP3 and Hardens time they are holding the ball - the diff is that CP3 is dribbling around in the paint looking for an opening - not just sitting out on the top of the key running down the clock like we're playing for the last shot of the half or something...

What all of the 'harden can do no wrong' camp dont seem to grasp is - what is best for Harden isnt necessarily best for the team... doing all the things that maximize hardens abilities is going to be successful against most teams... like when we froze out D12 and essentially made harden the only option - good enough to beat most teams in the reg season - but not sustainable and able to carry us through the playoffs...

If we just want to be one of the best teams in the league but arent worried about winning a championship - carry on... but if we want to win a championship... it requires everybody be giving 100% for 100% of the time they are on the court...

but of course MDA is just gonna sit there and tolerate whatever Harden wants to do - bc he's our superstar and we've sold our soul and cant risk upsetting our superstar - even if it means perpetually falling short...

do James positives outweigh his negatives? Most definitely! Do I want to trade him? Hell no! ...but still we gotta do everything to maximize our potential... and with James being the focal point of our team the areas for improvement concerning him are among the most glaring...

and dont think for one minute that other issues aside from James dont exist - and those should be addressed too... but we shouldnt be giving a free pass to anybody for things that are not in the best interest of the team on the whole...

 

ROCKETS
Top Rebounders:
Capela - 60
PJ Tucker - 49
Chris Paul - 43
James Harden - 42


Top Assists
Chris Paul - 34
Harden - 33
PJ Tucker - 12

Steals
Harden - 13
PJ Tucket - 12
Chris Paul - 10

Blocks
Ego - 5
Tucket -
Clint/Harden - 3

Points
Harden - 209
Ego - 120
CP3 100
---- 65% of all points
Rockets Total - 659

TURNOVERS
Harden - 23
Ego / Chris - 18
Clint - 10
---- 58% if all turnovers
Rockets total - 87



We need more people to do more things
MDa needs to empower more of the bench
But yea
let's put all the blame on Harden

Rocket River

 

It's not about blame... its about finding any and every opportunity to improve.... and with James being the focal point of our team anything he can do differently/better can have a huge impact...

and MDA definitely needs to empower and utilize his bench better... and stop playing guys based on his 'comfort' level... my sig has been there all season... lol

 

Being tired is no excuse to not get involved at all in the play as often as Harden does. I’ve seen a Lebron give the ball to another guy and just hang back, but rarely have I seen the body language of a guy like Harden. They cover him because he’s always somewhat of a threat, but I have no sympathy if Harden gets put on blast for this.

The narrative surrounding Harden is largely undeserving and the Harden bashing is 90% hate so I really don’t get why national media doesn’t pick this particular inexcusable part of Harden’s game apart as it would be well deserved. CP3 being frustrated with that should not come as a surprise and we should all be happy if this rubs guys the wrong way.

We need changes and this is an important part of what Harden needs to do. MDA need to work on accountability, but also to come up with ways for Harden to be involve Harden off the ball. If Harden refuses then **** him. Fans trying to make excuses for Harden here is just silly homer simpleton.

 

Harden being virtually useless without the ball in his hands is a problem and he needs to improve it. He knows full well, and admitted as much in the regular season, that the Rockets cannot win with the offense just being the Harden show. So making excuses for him after a third straight playoff elimination at home that he's exhausted because he's doing too much on offense just is not going to fly any longer. Changes are needed, and it starts with the guy who's at the center of the offense. I expect him to make necessary adjustments to his game next year.

 

I disagree, and I believe Harden meant it more like I'm going to state it:

It is a weakness in Harden's game. It is not a problem that makes Harden incapable of being the best player on a championship team.

Before diagnosing the problem, you must define the question. What are we talking about here?

If the questions is: what is Harden's main weakness?

Then the answer is his off ball production, and we don't have to agree about whether that's a character or fatigue issue.

If the question is: what is one of the top things stopping us from winning a championship with Harden as the best player on the team?

The answer is 100% not Harden's off ball production. There are a bunch of other problems. In fact, the other problems are big enough for us to say that contending with the Warriors is unrealistic. Harden's flaw is no more major than the flaws of any other star player leading teams to championships in this NBA. Harden's off ball production is not a bigger flaw than Curry's defense. It's not a bigger problem than Durant's tunnel vision. It's not a bigger problem than Lebron's defense and tendency to unscientifically force changes on his organization.

It's just not. I'm not disagreeing that Harden would be a better player if he were better off the ball. I am disputing that it's a reasonable or realistic expectation given his load, and I am disputing that it is somehow the main thing in our way. I know you have a respect for scientific analysis durvasa, you must see that we are at capacity with Harden and the equivalent of his regular, flaw-containing contribution has routinely been turned into titles. You cannot tell me that a player who is capable of finishing top 2 in the MVP race for 3 years in a row cannot be coached to a title.

This flaw would not stop him from winning a title with prime Curry/Klay/Draymond or prime Wade/Bosh or prime Irving/Love. Harden has done more with less. This team's problem is that we can't - for whatever reason - give him more help.

Where Kerr has pushed back against Durant's preference for ISO, MDA seems to be the exact opposite. I do believe that MDA might change. Trauma gives people a chance to make previously unfathomable changes.

 

I've seen harden cut off- ball plenty of times

I've seen him set screens

I think this is at MDA's direction

We already heard the quote about Paul liking the "4 on 4" he plays

I think MDA covets spacing above all else and therefore has instructed harden to create as much of it as he can .

If hardens man sticks to him then having him way out in left field doesn't create space

I disagree with this style tho and think James should be more involved off-ball

 

I don't believe it. It was the defense that cost us the series. Not our offense. Harden knows what changes needs to be made. More Hero Ball.

 

Well they actually held the Warriors to an offensive rating slightly below their regular season. But the Rockets offense dropped off by more by ORTG.

Against the Jazz it was even worse. The Rockets offense was mediocre but the defense was dominant.

 

So we need to hire an offense assistant coach that can draw up half-court plays after well timed time outs. Who knows about the defense.

 

2 Western Conference appearances.

Beating the teams they are supposed to beat in the playoffs (Non Warriors)

Losing to the an historically All time Talented team but taking them to the limit or keeping it really close with them despite handicap players like Chris Paul and Capela fr the series....

Doesnt work at all in the playoffs lol....

 

2018 regular season ORTG: 115.45
2018 playoffs ORTG: 109.6

2019 regular season ORTG: 116.45
2019 playoffs ORTG: 110.9

A 110 ORTG would be below average for the regular season. A 109.6 ORTG is bottom 10.

 

The #1 issue with this team for what they are trying to achieve (beat an all time team) is TALENT.

This team needs to add MORE TALENT that plays against the Warriors.

That will get them the highest returns compared to any changes they make with the current roster.

As it stands, this Rockets team can beat any playoff team other than the Warriors.

The difference between the Warriors and the Rockets is talent.

 

I think they need to play at a faster pace and incorporate some more Harden off ball stuff. ISOing a lot is still ok, but it can't be the only thing.

 

I'm pretty skeptical they can easily beat the Bucks and Raptors. I mean yes they definitely have a good chance, but I wouldn't take it as a lock.

 

Yeah and?

Lots of teams have worse off production in the playoffs.

Teams get to scout and prepare for a 7 game series.

This isnt news.

The Rockets were still able to win any playoff series against anyone not named Warriors, which makes your statement that this team is not made for playoffs still asinine.

 

The Bucks could definitely beat this Rocket team. That team is real good.

 

If true, still wouldnt change the point I made.

Add more talent.

 

Is the more talent just going to stand around on offense and wait for a pass with 3 seconds on the shot clock? Because regardless of how much talent is on this team, Harden would be doing the exact same thing in terms of what he does on ball and what he does off ball. He'll just stand around near the half court line when the ball isn't in his hands more if there is more talent on this team because I'm assuming with that added talent there will be more plays called for that added talent. That's why he would be a horrible fit on the Warriors.

 

That team is one game away from elimination because they dont have a go to player on offense.